Whether you’re planning a summer picnic, family reunions, or simply need a light lunch idea, this easy recipe is guaranteed to become a staple in your home. With its creamy dressing, tender macaroni, flaky tuna, and the nutritious addition of hard-boiled eggs, it promises not only a delicious flavor but also a satisfying meal that is lean on prep time and big on flavor. It’s one of our favorite recipes to make.
Crafted from simple ingredients, many of which you might already have in your pantry, this salad is a great example of how pantry staples can come together to create a dish that’s truly magical. Whether it’s for a light lunch, a summer picnic, or as a standout dish for family reunions, it delivers both on taste and convenience.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
To make our tuna macaroni salad, you need the following ingredients:
- Elbow macaroni or small shells pasta
- Tuna (canned)
- Green peas
- Hardboiled eggs
- Mayonnaise
- Cheddar cheese (cubed)
- Sweet pickle relish
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- pepper
- Celery stalks
- Onion
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How to Make Our Tuna Macaroni Salad
- Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain and dump into large bowl.
- Mix in remaining ingredients and stir well.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving to let flavors meld.
- Remove from fridge and if the salad seems dry, you can add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk or even 1-2 Tablespoons of mayonnaise to moisten it.
Recipe Notes
- For this recipe, we included eggs (just like we include eggs in our Potato salad!), but it’s totally up to you. You could leave them out if you want.
- This tuna macaroni salad is good for up to 3 days in the fridge in a covered container. If the salad seems dry after a day or two, you can add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk or even 1-2 Tablespoons of mayonnaise to moisten it.
- If you don’t like tuna, you can easily replace the tuna with canned chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, or even cooked ham!
Enjoy More Delicious Pasta Salad
Want to add more veggies to your meals? Browse our comprehensive list of salad recipes.
- Grilled Chicken Bow Tie Pasta Salad
- Homemade Pasta Salad
- Italian Tortellini Salad
- Ramen Noodle Oriental Chicken Salad
- Ranch Pasta Salad
- Southwest Chicken Pasta Salad
- Spaghetti Salad
- Tortellini Pasta Salad
Tuna Macaroni Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni, or small shells pasta, uncooked
- 2 cans tuna, (5 oz each), drained (I used tuna packed in water)
- ½ cup frozen green peas, thawed
- 2 hard boiled eggs, cut into pieces
- 1 cup mayonnaise, (or Miracle Whip)
- 1 cup small cubed Cheddar cheese pieces, (about 4 ounces)
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
Instructions
- Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain and dump into large bowl.
- Mix in remaining ingredients and stir well.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving to let flavors meld.
- Remove from fridge and if the salad seems dry, you can add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk or even 1-2 Tablespoons of mayonnaise to moisten it.
Notes
- For this recipe, we included eggs (just like we include eggs in our Potato salad!), but it’s totally up to you. You could leave them out if you want.
- This tuna macaroni salad is good for up to 3 days in the fridge in a covered container. If the salad seems dry after a day or two, you can add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk or even 1-2 Tablespoons of mayonnaise to moisten it.
- If you don’t like tuna, you can easily replace the tuna with canned chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, or even cooked ham!
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
I made this recipe for an Easter potluck, and it was such a big hit!